In 2010, $607 million dollars worth of small and light arms left the United States, headed to buyers around the world

In 2010, $607 million dollars worth of small and light arms left the United States, headed to buyers around the world. Israel got $44 million worth, Afghanistan $39 million, Thailand $32 million, Colombia $63 million, and Canada $85 million, among others. On the flip side, the US brought in just under a billion dollars of weapons and ammo in that same year, with Italy, Brazil, Austria, and Russia leading the pack.

Small arms, are generally considered anything that can be easily operated by a single person, such as: light machine guns, pistols, and assault rifles. Light weapons are those that can be run by a small crew, including: grenade launchers, heavy machine guns, or anti-tank and anti-aircraft missile launchers, among others.

About Colin Schultz

Colin Schultz is a freelance science writer and editor based in Toronto, Canada. He blogs for Smart News and contributes to the American Geophysical Union. He has a B.Sc. in physical science and philosophy, and a M.A. in journalism.

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